As a member of the Ontario…

As a member of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association (OPFA) and the owner of Dendrotek Forestry Consultants, I have read the proposal and encourage the revitalization of Ontario's forest industry. It's an industry that has been in decline for some time now in Ontario and it's great to see a government interested in reviewing and improving it.

However, I do have some concerns with some of the changes you are proposing, particularly when it comes to "removing barriers" and "red tape." There is no mention anywhere in the document on what those barriers are exactly. I assume they are environmental barriers but again, it is not known. This worries me. Your government, unfortunately has a reputation in the environmental community of reducing protection on ecological systems. Many of these regulations were put in place for a reason, often for the protect and/or reduce the impact on wildlife habitat. Removing these regulations for the sake of opening Ontario for business would be very irresponsible and detrimental on the sustainability of Ontario's forests. Simply put, there needs to be a balance between the financial benefits that forests provide and the protection of ecological systems. Please don't overlook this.

In terms of the four pillars of the Ontario Government’s Forest Strategy, the government will need to rely more heavily on competent and accountable forest professionals. Competent and accountable forest professionals who are legally required to protect the public’s interest can be called to objectively evaluate different forest management strategies in a transparent manner and help implement the solutions that are approved. Professionals such as members of the OPFA. I hope you will make an effort to support and consult with our members as you move forward.

Thank you.

Normand Genier
Dendrotek Forestry Consultants